


Taken

by Uchihas_rose



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, BDSM, Child Neglect, F/F, F/M, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-21 17:28:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11949120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uchihas_rose/pseuds/Uchihas_rose
Summary: Society is full with prejudice, this time blaming a man for a crime he didn't commit.A man, who is well aware of his actions, who took the law in his own hands, due to desperation and fear, and is now forced to face all of society's hated towards him, forced to deal with all their prejudice.His lawyer, who puts himself into a moral dilemma between doing what is right according to law and doing what is right according to his own conscience - and not only endangering his relationship by doing so, but his entire family as well...





	1. Society's judging eyes

They were surrounding the building; he hadn’t know there were so many people in Konoha.

The police men shielded him, stopping the crowd from harming him, but they couldn't block the voices and so he heard every word they were saying. He heard their screaming, the insults and the accusations they yelled at him, he saw the signs they were holding up – the people’s accusation against him, without a judge, without a lawyer.

There only were the prosecutors and him, the indicted.

 

_Child abuser._

  

How could four syllables contain so much hatred?

He saw the loathing and the disgust in their eyes; someone threw a glass bottle at him. One of the police men yelled at the thrower, but Sasori could see in the man’s eyes he would have loved to throw the bottle himself.

He lowered his head, pretending not to hear their yelling and their accusations – he could not defend himself. Even if he could, what good would it be? They were already sure of their opinion – for them, he was a pedophile, no matter how hard he insisted his innocence.

People only could see and hear what they wanted to see and hear.

 

His thoughts were all about Deidara.

The last time he had seen him at morning during breakfast – their last breakfast.

Maybe he should ask any of the police men but despite the fact he most likely would not get an answer, it was for the best if the police wouldn’t find out about Deidara.

Maybe Madara had done something; he hoped so because if Madara had taken matters in his hands, Deidara was safe.

 

 They reached the prison gates, one of the police men pushed him inside and the shouts and protests on the outside faded. Sasori could still hear them in his head, though, and he wanted to yell at them, wanted to tell them they were wrong, that he never had harmed Deidara!

He had only seen himself in the blue eyes, he had only wanted Deidara to stop suffering anymore.

 

 _Vigilantism_.

 

Maybe it had been wrong to kidnap Deidara, maybe he should have just called child service instead of taking matters in his own hands, maybe, maybe, maybe…

 

 _Prejudices_.

 

The whole world was full of them and he could see it very clearly in this matter. They didn’t even give him a chance to explain, they wouldn’t let him talk. They were so stuck in their own opinion they didn’t care about his perspective. They didn’t want to hear it.

The single one drowned in the mass.

And he was alone, alone against them all, who thought he was a criminal, a pervert, clinging to their point of view. They didn’t care about him.

They only saw what they wanted to see.

They were blind for the truth.

And he would have to pay the price.

 

 

 

_As always, when he gets home from university, he stops at the daycare. Many years have passed since he has been a child there himself and a lot of things have changed – the building got a new paint, the old swings have been replaced and there is a slide which hadn’t been there in his days._

_But the old picture has remained and with a smile on his face he watches the children playing in the yard, the same games he has played himself once, using the same hiding spots like he did. They look happy – speaking for the daycare’s excellent reputation._

_Again he wonders if any of his old teachers are still there and if he should visit them, but then, he decides against it._

_Like he’s done so many times before._

_He watches some children playing a game of tag when he sees a little boy who doesn’t participate in the game._ _Sasori bites his lip while he watches the boy. He knows this feeling. Being alone, not because you are being excluded, but because you want to; he had seen one of the other children going over to the boy and inviting him to join their game._

_He had seen the small shake of the head, how the boy stared at the ground and he knows the acting, knows it far too well._

_He had been this way himself when he was the boy’s age._

_The game ends when a tutor’s voice sounds from the gate and the children all run over to greet their arriving parents._

_He feels something stabbing his chest while he still watches the swings and the boy who doesn’t run over to the gate._

_Sasori knows the reason for that, he knows the boy, at least he knows his name: Deidara._

_And he also knows Deidara’s mother…_

_The families return to their homes, one by one – until Deidara is the only child left._

_Sasori grinds his teeth. Sometimes, on the weekends, he visits a bar and there he has seen Deidara and his mother more than once._

_The woman is an alcoholic, every day she comes to the bar, fuddling herself, while her son sits next to her and plays with the empty bottles._

_Once, the bar keeper has told Sasori, she even forgot her son at the bar._

_Sasori’s stomach fills with rage – she is a mother, she is responsible for her child! Why can’t she see her drinking harms Deidara as much as herself?_

_Sasori has made a decision  - he can’t watch another child going through the same hell as he has._

_He can see so much of himself in Deidara and who can guarantee someone will help Deidara like Madara, Itachi and the others have helped him?_

_The world is full of sorrow and misery, Tokyo is full of sorrow and misery, there are enough teenagers sitting in the streets, being forced to deal drugs and far worse for their survival._

_His mind tells him it’s wrong, he has to call child services, but he knows the system and the system has too many leaks._

_He waits, waits another fifteen minutes. Maybe the woman does care about her son after all…_

_But the fifteen minutes pass and Deidara is still sitting on the swing._

_Sasori takes a deep breath, forcing himself to say calm, and slowly walks over to the boy._

_„Hello“, he says quietly._

_Deidara lifts his head and looks at him with light blue eyes, eyes in which Sasori can see himself._

_His doubts are gone. He wants to give this child what the mother denies him – a childhood, care, safety._

_Because he understands what Deidara is going through._


	2. Uchiha Madara, lawyer

He was alone in his cell and the way is was looking, he wouldn’t get company any time soon. The policemen dragged him inside without saying anything, but before they shut the door behind him, they told him in a sharp, rough tone that his lawyer was on his way.

This news calmed Sasori a little.

  
His lawyer.

Uchiha Madara, top notch lawyer, except all the scandals which had been following the 40-years old men during his carrier, the terror of the roads – and for many, many years a good friend of Sasori’s.

Madara was very serious about his job.

Sasori knew he could count on Madara. Unlike the public defenders and most of the other lawyers, who only cared about the money and their own fame, the Uchiha was interested in his clients and determined to find a personal contact to them, although he was a complete misanthrope.

Madara would believe him. Even if nobody else would, Madara would listen to Sasori, hear his side of the story.

And Madara must have believed him anyways, after all, he had helped Sasori to hide Deidara…

 

The metallic humming of the opening doors broke through Sasori’s thoughts. Two of the guards stood in front of him; one put cuffs around Sasori’s wrists and together they led him to a small, bare room, which only contained a table and two chairs.

One of the chairs was empty, the other one was taken by a Japanese men with long black hair, falling over the back of his chair.

He looked up, when the door opened and the guards shoved Sasori in, and a mocking smile twitched Madara Uchiha’s lips.

  
Most people hated the lawyer – part of this was because of his job, but Madara wasn’t exactly good with people and this was because of his character.

He was blunt honest, sarcastic and he had never heard of words such as „courtesy“ or „discretion“.

And still, the Uchiha was popular – after all, he was an excellent lawyer and even Madara had a „soft“ side, which he only showed to a few selected people.

  
Sasori sat down across Madara. He was relived to see those dark eyes, the teasingly-arrogant smile, which belonged to the Uchiha-Clan as well as their clantypical black hair and eyes.

As soon as Sasori sat down, the smile vanished from his lawyer’s lips and he watched him with a serious look on his face.

„Outside there is a pretty big riot“, he said, pointing to the walls to symbolize the crowd possibly still lingering outside the prison, „and almost everyone is convinced of your guilt.“

„Do you think so too?“

Sasori couldn’t hold back the question. He hadn’t want to ask it, but the question didn’t care about it.

Madara looked at him for a while with his black eyes. He had scary eyes, even Sasori thought so and he knew the lawyer for years. They were sharp like a hawk’s, lurking like a cat’s.

Most people buckled when Madara just looked at them.

„I am your lawyer, Sasori“, he said after a moment of silence, „that means, I am convinced of your innocence.“

„And… What if you weren’t my lawyer?“

Sasori’s heart hammered. He was scared of the answer but he had to know.

Madara didn’t respond. Thoughtfully he stroked through his hair.

„As your friend I know that you’re innocent and that I can trust you“, he finally repeated, „and this is all I will say on that matter.“

He rose his hand in defense, when Sasori opened his mouth to ask the next question.

„I _am_ your lawyer and this means you haven’t done anything wrong in my eyes. Innocent until proven guilty.“

Sasori lowered his gaze and Madara rose.

„The trial is starting on Monday. Save your strength, you will need it.“

„Do you know who will be the prosecuting attorney?“, Sasori quietly asked.

Madara stared at him for a moment. „No“, he answered, „the information hasn’t been announced yet. I don’t know who will be precising either.“

„So, we will have to wait until Monday…“

The lawyer nodded. „Maybe it’s for the best.“

He squeezed Sasori’s hand.

„Keep it up, Sasori. I’ll take care of it.“

 

Sasori’s gaze followed him, leaving the room with wafting mane, and the guards brought him back to his cell.

He hadn’t asked about Deidara, but he knew Madara’s last words didn’t only refer to the case.

It had been a hint.

_Deidara was safe._

 

 

 

~ * ~

 

 

 

Prisons were gray, cold concrete blocks, killing every hope. Madara hated prisons, yet due to his job, he was forced to see them more often on the inside as he wanted to.

With a false-friendly smirk on his lips he walked past the guard, who shut the the prison doors behind him as soon as Madara had left, and up to his car.

He couldn’t wait to get home, despite the huge pile of work waiting for him there, because he had to start at least with the basics of Sasori’s defense, but Madara worked best at his own home.

Plus, Hashirama was waiting for him at home – one more reason to look forward to.

Their relationship wasn’t always easy and one of the reasons for this were their jobs.

The media had spread the news for almost six months, when the lawyer and the judge had made their relationship public – and especially Uchiha Obito, prosecuting attorney, much to Madara’s displease related tot he latter and abnormal homophobic, had done everything to bad mouth them. Neither Hashirama, nor Madara had taken too much notice of Obito’s diatribes and despite all of Obito’s effort, they had managed to save both their jobs and their relationship.

Thus had only lead Madara to hate his despised grandnephew even more than he already did – Obito’s pure name was enough to make Madara rage in anger.

 

 

Sighing, the lawyer dropped himself at the leather-smelling seat of his pitch black hell machine. He really could not wait to get home, but there was something he had to do first.

He pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket and dialed Itachi’s number.

The phone rang three times, then his nephew answered: „Yes?“

„Please tell me, everything went according to plan“, Madara switched to speakerphone and started the engine.

 

For a moment, there was a silence and Madara nervously drummed the steering wheel with his fingertips.

„Itachi, did you get Deidara or not?“

„Deidara is here“, his nephew replied calmly and the older Uchiha let out a sigh of relief while he left the parking lot.

„Did it all went well?“, he asked, not wasting a second glace at the traffic – he knew where he had to drive to and since he drove the way he wanted to, he didn’t care about the traffic anyways.

 Itachi sighed deeply and Madara could almost see his older nephew rolling his eyes in annoyance.

„Madara, do you really think we could tell you about Deidara’s whereabouts if anything would have went wrong? He’s worried about Sasori, but I don’t think this should be much of a surprise, should it?“

 

Now it was Madara’s turn to roll his eyes, although Itachi couldn’t see him through the phone.

„Don’t put anything stupid in his head!“

„What do you consider ‚something stupid‘? Madara, just in case you’ve forgotten – Deidara is sixteen and not a child anymore! He is reasonable enough to know there is nothing he can do for Sasori. I still think we-“

„Don’t say that! Don’t even _think_ about it! Forget it!“, Madara interrupted his nephew sharply, „this is out of question! Deidara stays at a place where he’s safe.“

Itachi clicked his tongue in disagreement against his teeth – a classical Uchiha-quirk which, right now, drove Madara mad.

With a quick glance at his rear view mirror he stepped on the gas pedal, causing the engine to roar loudly, and started to queue-jump several cars in front of him.

 „Just take care of him!“, he snapped at the speakerphone, „and make sure Obito doesn’t find out about it!“

„Madara-“

He didn’t gave his nephew any time for further protests or any other kind of response, finished the call and drove back to his own lane.

Clenching his teeth, he stepped on the gas pedal again, forcing everything it had out of his car. He just wanted to go home.

His phone rang again, but he ignored it.

 

 Hopefully, Hashirama wasn’t at home yet – whenever Madara was in a bad mood, it was unbearable to be around him. No matter how much he loved Hashirama, in moments like these his temper burst into rage and Madara’s nerves were comparable to a stick of dynamite with very short and easy flammable igniter cords.


	3. The quarrels of love

Thousends of tiny needles seemed to pierce Madara’s eye balls.

Roughly the Uchiha rubbed them with the back of his hand and tried to ignore the burning.

The letters danced drunkenly over the sites and he sighed irritably before gazing at his watch.

Almost midnight.

He really needed to sleep, but Sasori was more important!

 

„Madara, do you know what time it is?“, Hashirama’s voice sounded behind him, with a slight hint of rebuke, „do you plan on coming to bed tonight?“

„Hm…“, Madara mumbled, lost in thought, put one of his black skeins back behind his ear and focused on his files again, while he was trying to ignore the pain in his eyes once more.

 

The covers rustled softly, the wood creaked silently when Hashirama got up from the bed they both shared, coming over to him.

A second later the judge’s long, sleek fingers pulled the book gentle, yet firmly, out of the lawyer’s grip, closed it nosily and threw it back on a dangerously instable looking pile of other books and old files.

Madara growled in displeasure, but before he could rise his voice in protest, Hashirama pulled his arms around Madara’s neck and gently kissed his cheek.

 „Come to bed“, he whispered to Madara’s ear, „you have to get up tomorrow just as early as me.“

 Madara sighed deeply, pulled his chair back and got up. His partner let go of him and turned with interest towards the chaotic pile of files, open books and hand written notes all around Madara’s desk.

„You seem very busy… Hang on – is that a new file? Are you working on a new case?“

Hashirama grabbed the top file and opened it curiously.

The Uchiha gave a short nod, snatched the book Hashirama had just pulled put of his hand, sat back on the chair and went continued reading.

 

The judge sighed deeply and pulled one of Madara’s loose skeins back behind his ear again.

„What’s the case about? Or is it that thing about Sasori?“

Madara closed the book, leaving a finger between the pages, and looked up at his domestic partner.

„That’s irrelevant. What about you? You got anything new?“

Hashirama nodded in agreement.  „Yeah, pretty interesting case, in my opinion. I am really looking forward at the defense strategy – this guy better got himself a good lawyer…“

 

 

Madara looked up at him, his eyes flickering in interest. „Seems to be a pretty big case.“

Hashirama nodded once more, the brown eyes sparkling.

„Pedophilia. According to the report, this guy has been hiding the boy for eight years, can you imagine that? For eight years! Seriously, there are some people who shouldn’t be allowed to walk free out there… Madara? Madara!“

 

„What?“, Madara blinked absently, the nose already pulled back to his book, and Hashirama sighed.

 „Do you agree with me?“

„What topic again?“

 Hashirama grunted in frustration. „My new case! Pedophilia! Seriously, that guy really needs a very good lawyer – I have no intention of going easy on him during the trial… Just think about the poor mother! If our childen were in a situation like this… You aren’t listening!“

 „What?“

 

Hashirama pulled his hair, before taking the book out of Madara’s hands a second time.

„How would you feel if our children were caught and imprisoned by a guy like that?“

 „We don’t have children!“, Madara held out his hand, „now give it back, I have to-“

He froze, glanced at the file in Hashirama’s hands and than stared at the judge as if he had never seen him before in his life.

 

„What were you just talking about?“

„My new case!“

„Which would be?“

„Pedophilia! Dammit, Madara, why can you never-“

 

Madara didn’t let him finish; he jumped at his feet and looked at Hashirama.

„Do you already got a file for your new case?“

 

The judge blinked puzzled due to this suddenly sharp, piercing gaze. „Eh… Sure.“

„May I take a look at it?“

 

In Hashirama’s face Madara could read the judge had absolutly no idea why the Uchiha was so tense all of a sudden but there was a thought in Madara’s head, a terrifying, alarming thought…

He heard his heart thud in his chest, loud and fast, it could not be true, it just couldn’t!

No, there must have been a mistake, Hashirama was a good judge, one of the best and the world was full of pedophiles, it was just a coincidence, nothing more…

 

 

Hashirama walked over to the shelf and pulled another file out of a map.

Panic had taken over Madara’s thinking, he didn’t even waste a look at the Senju’s naked body, didn’t glance at the strongly visiable claw marks his nails had left on Hashirama’s skin – a sign of his love and passion for the other man and at the same time a claim of ownership which all Uchiha loved to do and which the general public named sick.

Nervous, he combed through his black hair, his eyes flickering restless around the room and the tip of his foot twitched.

Normally, Madara would have never wasted an opportunity of looking at Hashirama’s back, enjoying the bite wounds and red marks, absorbing them with his eyes – he loved to leave his mark on Hashirama and looking at the fascinating play of colors and pattern his claws and teeth left on pure skin – but right now he barley noticed it, this alerting thought had clamped both his thoughts and his heart.

 

The judge seemed to have found what he was looking for – only dressed in boxers, carrying a simple, light file he came back to Madara and handed it over.

„Here you go.“

 

The lawyer’s fingers trembled when he took the map and opened it, hearing his own heartbeat loud and heavy in his ears, thudding painfully at his chest…

 He stared at the map’s content which he knew far, far too well – he knew that file; he tried to speak but his voice cracked.

No sound came from his suddenly dry lips, he gulped several times but his mouth stayed silent.

 

„I haven’t taken a closer look at it, I wanted to wait-“, Hashirama’s voice seemed to sound through rushing water at his ears, he didn’t hear it, barley noticed Hashirama coming next to him, looking at file himself, didn’t feel the brown skeins tickling his cheek as Hashirama leaned forward – there only was silence, painfull, deafening silence filling the room when Hashirama discovered who the man was he would have to judge in court.

 

The name seemed to laugh at them, the picture teasing them.

_Sasori Akasuna._

With some difficult Madara managed to look away from Sasori’s mugshot, faceing Hashirama again.

Well, this wasn’t exactly a surprise or uncommon.

It was quite normal they sat face to face in the court room – that was the risk you had to take if you dated a judge as a lawyer.

It wasn’t even the first time – they had _met_ that way.

Why would it be a problem now?

 

It shouldn’t be a problem.

It really shouldn’t.

And yet, both Hashirama and Madara knew, this time, there _was_ a problem.

Until now, Madara’s clients had just been clients to which the Uchiha had no private connection whatsoever – except Hidan, one of Madara’s ‚business partners‘, Itachi’s on-off-relationship and official manager at the club _Bunny’s_ , who had spent several time at court due to his verbally abusive and sometimes even aggressive nature.

Hidan had always been their exception; after all, they kind of had to be grateful to him for even getting together (a funny story and always worth hearing) – but this was something different.

This wasn’t a bar fight over an unpaid drink, this was something else, deeper and tougher than their former cases.

 

For a moment, they both stared at each other in silence, none of them spoke.

Finally, it was Madara who found the words again: „I can’t hand this case over. Sasori is innocent, Hashirama.“

 

„Innocent?“, Hashirama echoed, his eye brows risen in doubt, „Madara, I know it’s your duty as a lawyer to defend your client, but don’t you think you are being emotionally involved in this matter as well? After all, Sasori is your friend.“

He pointed at the file with his head.

„I don’t know him as well as you do. I have to stick to the file, until I can make up my own mind during the trial and the file-.“

 

„I know, what’s in the file, I can read!“, Madara interrupted harshly, „but, Hashirama, dammit-!“

„Forget it!“, Hashirama didn’t let him finish – he even rose his hands deprecating, „don’t even try to convince me otherwise! You will more than enough chances to do so on Monday in court. Didn’t we agree, we wanted to separate private affairs and business?“

 

„Hashirama, I _know_ Sasori, he never would-!“

„Madara!“, Hashirama crossed his arms at his chest and sternly gazed at his domestic partner, „no. I don’t know Sasori and the file, as well as the police report, clearly speaks against him.“

 

The lawyer threw the file back on the desk and expectantly looked at Hashirama.

„So… What do we do now?“

 

Hashirama closed his eyes for a moment and turned his back at Madara.

„Due… to my incorruptibility according to the fact that we are living together, I think it would be better if… If one of us would move out, so there is no chance of manipulating or tampering the case. Madara, I love you, you know I do – but this time, it’s different. We… We can’t live together. Not under this circumstances."

 

He faced Madara again, his eyes clouded with pain.

„I am sorry, Madara. But I can’t give up this case either. I can’t just stand there and watch a pedophile-“

 

„ _He is not a pedophile_!“, Madara’s hands clentched to shaking fists, „Hashirama, I know Sasori, he never-“

 

„The facts don’t lie“, Hashirama repeated, waving the file at Madara, „I am having the facts right here, Madara. I am judge, I am responsible for this people and I can’t and I won’t let a pedophile leave without a trial just because my domestic partner is friends with him. Am I supposed to let murderers walk free as well, just because I once met them at the subway or because they smiled at me? Am I supposed to give drug dealers their drugs back if they tell me they will never sell again and only use them for themselves? You can try and convince me of Sasori’s innocence during the trial, Madara. But don’t you dare trying to manipulate me out of court.“

 

Madara’s black eyes held Hashirama’s gaze for a few seconds, before the Uchiha closed them with a quiet sigh and nodded.

„I’ll pack tomorrow.“

„Are you going at Itachi and Sasuke’s or back to your former apartment?“, Hashirama asked calmly.

 

Madara shrugged his shoulders. „Haven’t decided yet.“

Once more, he threw the file at the desk, sighed deeply and ran his fingers through his long black hair.

„I love you, Hashirama.“

Hashirama nodded. „I know. I love you too. I don’t kick you out of the house because I want to get rid of you, you know that. But-“

 

„I can’t leave my case files here“, Madara finished the sentence, „I know.“

With a few quick steps he closed the distance between them and buried his head at the judge’s shoulder.

„Are we still going to have dinner on Monday after the trial?“

Hashirama nodded and buried his fingers in Madara’s wild, untamed mane.

„Of course. 8 pm, Takumi’s. Just as planned. After all, it’s our anniversary.“

„Acutally, to celebrate that we should go to that coffee shop“, Madara reminded silently and Hashirama laughed.

„Do you want to torture that poor waitress again, you sadist?“

 

Madara shrugged his shoulders again.

„I just want her to stop hoping for a lost case. And anyways… I told you early enough about the way I play, Your Honor…~“

 Purring, he stroked Hashirama’s collar bones, scrated the sensitive skin and felt the shudder running over Hashirama’s body.

 „Though you don’t want to hear it“, Hashirama whispered in Madara’s ear, while he flung himself backwards at the bed, pulling Madara with him, „but the effort you put in to save your friends shows clearly you are good person.“

Madara’s lips curled to a teasing grin. „Hashirama… I thought by now you had let go of this silly thought. It seems to me, I have to demonstrate you once more I am not nearly as good as you always claim…~“

Hashirama pulled his arms around Madara’s hips.

„Show me“, he breathed seductively.

The grin on Madara’s lip grew bigger, his fingers teased Hashirama’s nipples, pulling them slightly, yet deep down he knew they couldn’t pull up this farce for ever.

The terror of losing Hashirama because of this case was constant.

They could pretend everything was alright – but Madara knew, even with all their effort, the lines between business and privacy would vanish faster than they both wanted to.

_It had already begun._

 

Eight years ago, they had met due to a parking spot incident. Eight years they had developed their relationship, eight years to build up a wall of trust and devotion.

And now…

Now they would see how solid their wall stood – or if Sasori’s case would tear their relationship apart.


	4. A Sibling's love

„You can’t be serious!“, black eyes angrily flickered at the older one, the hands holding a full moving box were shaking.

Sasuke Uchiha’s entire body trembled, there were millions of words he wanted to spit in his older brother’s face.

Why him? What for the love of god had he done wrong to be punished like that?

Furious with rage he glared at Itachi and only the fact that, somehow, he managed to remember his courtesy, stopped the walls from crumbling under his screaming.

Itachi of course didn’t take much notice of the younger Uchiha’s in hated and fury twisted face; he just watched his brother with a very calmed look in which Sasuke could only read disappointment and for that, Sasuke hated his brother at the moment.

He would have preferred if Itachi had gone angry, if he would scream and rage, like Madara would’ve done, but his brother wasn’t his uncle and seeing Itachi’s disappointment hurt more than Madara’s entire rage could.

„Sasuke, actually, I would have expected that you would understand our current situation. Deidara doesn’t have any other place to go to and we owe it Madara and Sasori to take care-“

„Speak of yourself!“, Sasuke harshly interrupted his brother, „I ain’t no Companie-member, I don’t owe Madara or Sasori anything! And even I was – it still doesn’t explain why you force me to clean out my room! Why can’t Deidara just stay at the guest’s room?“

After all, they had two of them – one for Shisui, in case their cousin had another fight with his father which happened quite a lot lately, and one for Madara.

Madara had handed over his former apartment to Sasori and Deidara and just in case Madara couldn’t stay at Hashirama’s place because they had fought or because Madara missed his nephews and therefore needed a secondary location to stay at, Itachi had prepared a room for the older Uchiha.

 

Still, Sasuke couldn’t understand why he got kicked out of his room. Right now, Shisui and Kagami were on good terms, therefore Deidara could move into their cousin’s room without causing any damage.

No, Sasuke couldn’t see any sense in moving out of his room and staying at the office for now!

Maybe it didn’t make sense for anybody, except Itachi – and thus was a clear sign for Sasuke that the relationship with Hidan didn’t do his brother any good.

Ever since Itachi and Hidan had been together – or not, their relationship status was as changing as the weather or Madara’s moods and the latter had to mean something – Itachi had changend.

If anyone would have told Sasuke his brother would give up his dream of becoming a surgeon and handing out drinks while the sexy, untouchable bar keeper, Sasuke would have rolled on the floor laughing – the idea itself was so completely stupid and absurd because Itachi had loved his studies with all his heart.  


Sasuke was still wondering why Itachi hadn’t gone to Konoha’s university to continue his study – it couldn’t be because of bad grades, after all, Itachi was a genius.

If the reason for Itachi’s decision really was Hidan, it just revealed that the saying „Love is blind“ actually was true – after all, Hidan was Itachi’s complete opposite.

 

„You know we need those guest rooms, considering Madara’s temper-“, Itachi started, but Sasuke snorted.

„So what? He still can sleep on the couch!“

Sulky, he looked at his brother, watched Itachi closing his eyes for a second and breathing deeply.

He didn’t get angry, Sasuke had never seen the older Uchiha angry, Itachi always stayed calm, no matter what kind of shit his brother would do.

„Can’t you just put yourself in Deidara’s shoes? Just for a second? Just imagine what it would be like if you were in a situation-“

 

Sasuke gave an angry snort. „Don’t do that to me, Itachi! Isn’t all of this Sasori’s fault in the first place? Why do we have to cover up Sasori’s mistake, he could’ve just brought Deidara to child services instead of kidnapping him! Why didn’t _you_ take him to child services, does Madara really think this is going to work? Itachi, that’s complete madness!“

„Sasuke!“, for the first time ever, Itachi’s voice had gotten sharp, „that’s enough! I am just asking you to help Deidara, to make him feel welcomed, so he knows he’s safe and can stay here with us. It would be very inhospitably if we’d put Deidara at the office’s, just because you are too _proud_ to give up your room for a few weeks.“

„What if it’s not just a few weeks?!“, Sasuke shouted back angrily, glaring at Itachi with an aggressive spark in his eyes, „what if it’s more than _just a few weeks_ , what if Deidara has to stay with us for ever, what if Madara loses the case and Sasori is executed, huh? What will we do then?“

 

 

„Actually you should know that Konoha got rid of death penalty several years ago“, Sasuke hated it if his brother talked to him like that, so calm, so patient!, „and you know Madara has never lost a case. He is the best lawyer of Konoha and he’s Sasori’s best chance.“

 

Sasuke rolled his eyes in annoyance. „You didn’t answer my question“, he growled, grabbed the box with his belongings tighter and walked past Itachi, down the hallway, until he finally reached the office.

At least he had gotten a bed, so he didn’t had to sleep on an air mattress at the ground.

 

_Thank you so much for your generosity, Itachi._

 

 

With another angry snort he dumped the box at his brother’s desk – he wouldn’t do much unpacking, his clothes still were at his room, he just needed another place to sleep.

Deep down, he could understand that Itachi was only trying to make everything comfortable for Deidara – especially after everything the blonde went through, but in Sasuke’s opinion, Itachi was over reacting.

Sasuke wouldn’t have mind sharing his room but Itachi didn’t want Deidara to sleep on an air mattress and it was impossible to put a second bed in Sasuke’s room.

 

With an deep sigh of displeasure, Sasuke dropped himself at his bed. It only was a temporary solution – yeah, sure!

Not that Sasuke didn’t had any faith in Madara’s abilities as a lawyer – after all, Madara was known all over town – but would Deidara really be able to just go back to living with Sasori?

He didn’t knew much about law, but he was pretty sure Deidara wouldn't be able to simply return to Sasori. After all, Sasori was an accused pedophile and who returned a child in the hands of a child abuser?

Well, accused child abuse, Deidara hadn’t looked as if he’d been abused when Sasuke first saw him nut on the other hand, Sasuke wasn’t qualified for something like that.

 

Thoughtfully, he stared at the ceiling. Itachi was so focused on Deidara he barley noticed Sasuke these day – and right now, Sasuke really could use his brother’s help and advice.

Well… Maybe he could ask Madara as well – after all, the lawyer was older than Itachi and more life-experienced.

Due to his familiar situation Sasuke was grown up with homosexuality, so, theoretically speaking, it was completely normal to him.

And yet, there was a difference between just living with homosexual people and discovering for yourself that you were about to fall in love with another boy.

Of course, Itachi wouldn't mind. It would be very pathetic and ridiculous if he’d try to forbid Sasuke dating another person of the same sex, while he himself was in a relationship with Hidan.

No, Itachi wouldn’t mind at all, his brother would do everything he could to support him, he knew that, and Madara would probably do the same – but Madara was special…

 

Sasuke sighed deeply and pressed his palms on his eyes.

Sometimes it was terribly complicated being a teenager, sometimes this whole situation was simply too much to deal with on your own.

And right now, if you really needed someone to talk to, someone who knew what you were going through, who knew exactly how you felt – well, in situation like this there simply was nobody to talk to.

It wasn’t Deidara’s fault, Sasuke knew that. And yet, he still was angry at the older boy because he was hogging Itachi – though Deidara probably didn’t realize – and he was hogging Itachi now of all times, now, when Sasuke desperately needed his older brother.

 

Yes, sure, he could still ask Madara – he loved his uncle, he really did – but there were several topics you’d best never mentioned anywhere near the lawyer.

Unless, of course, one could take the older man's snapping, sarcastic respond – and especially on this topic, all Sasuke wanted was honesty and sympathy, respect and attention.

Maybe Madara didn’t always wanted to be slightly sarcastic but Madara was lawyer with all his heart and Sasuke didn’t want discussing his love life court-style.

 

 

Lost in his thoughts, he combed through his dark hair, classical Uchiha-quirk, as well as their black eyes.

Sometimes, life just sucked.

 

„Sasuke, dinner!“, Itachi’s voice came from downstairs and slowly the younger one got up, stretched himself and trotted down the stairs to the dining room.

 

 

 

When he entered the room, Itachi, Deidara and Hidan were already waiting for him. Deidara looked rather pale and his fingers nervously drummed on the table – he looked as though didn’t actually belonged here.

 

_Which, matter of fact, he didn’t._

 

 

Bad tempered, the teenager sat himself on the last free chair – great, first Deidara took his room and now he took Sasuke’s chair as well! – and crossed his arms at his chest.

He didn’t bothered showing both Itachi and Deidara he didn’t liked their uninvited guest at the house and ignored his brother’s begging gaze completely.

Yeah, maybe Itachi was right and somehow he had to put himself in Deidara’s shoes and understand what he was going through – bur how could his brother expect Sasuke to be mad with joy considering their new living situation?

 

„Deidara, would you like a bread bun?“, Itachi asked.

The older had switched his casual wear for a tight, dark T-Shirt, which he, as Sasuke knew, only wore at work.

It didn’t even look bad – black was a classical Uchiha color, every Uchiha looked good in black, but no matter the color, the Uchiha always drew a lot of attention.

Itachi was no exception – and maybe that was the reason why Hidan always put Itachi on the same shift as himself.

Sasuke had noticed right at the beginning of Itachi’s and Hidan’s relationship that Hidan had a rather unhealthy tenure – he only knew this kind of tenure by Madara.

Like his uncle, also Hidan jealously guarded his partner and Sasuke wasn’t a hundred percent sure if Hidan had accepted the typical Uchiha mark of ownership as well – and to be honest, he really didn’t want to know.

 

Hidan’s finger rested innocently on Itachi’s leg – everyone else would consider this a gesture of affection but Sasuke grew up at Madara’s, he knew the Uchiha’s claim of ownership and therefore, he knew the marks as well Madara loved to leave on everything that was his.

It looked as if Hidan had spent too much with Madara as well due to his court sessions and charges – Sasuke never would have believed Madara coloring off like that and even on a person who wasn’t even an Uchiha…

 

 

Deidara nodded, took the bread bun without saying a single word and started eating.

It was weird – Deidara’s presence was barley noticeable, he didn’t say a word and still…

Sasuke quickly glanced at him, but the long blond hair covered the older’s face.

What did Itachi knew about Deidara?

Just what Madara had told him, to be honest, and Madara on the other hand only knew what Sasori had said.

Sasuke wasn’t sure if Sasori had told Madara the entire truth or if he was holding several information back to save his own skin.

After all, Madara was loyal to his job and his friends – and in court, he was a threat, a true predator which tore everyone and everything to pieces.

 

 

Itachi handed Sasuke the basket – Sasuke still refused to say a thing and just glared at his brother, his lips firmly pressed together.

It would take a while until he could forgive Itachi, until he was able to accept their new situation – they would get into serious trouble if anyone found out that the child, who got kidnapped in Japan eight years ago, was Deidara.

 

 

 

 

 

After dinner, Hidan and Itachi left the house together – night shift at _Bunny’s_ which meant for Sasuke he would see his bother the following morning.

Only having Deidara company for the entire evening.

For a moment, Sasuke didn’t know what was worse – the fact, he still didn’t stand a chance to talk to his brother or he was about to spent the rest of the day alone with a person he didn’t knew at all, the exact same person who right now had taken over his room.

Sasuke just wanted to get out at the moment, just out on the street and running, only running, without a goal, without time; maybe at Madara’s, leaving everything behind him that was at home – Deidara, who didn’t talk to anybody, being woken in the middle of night when Itachi and Hidan returned, cause by now he knew Hidan far too well to figure out how tonight’s shift would end – his brother would either not return until late morning or he would take Hidan with him and everyone who called Madara hormonal, hadn’t met Hidan.

 

 

 

Sasuke always wonderd what Itachi was hoping for in his relationship with the club owner. They barley had anything in common – Itachi was calm, thoughtfully and considerate while Hidan was loud, aggressive and coarse.

There was a reason Madara had defended Hidan several times in court – though one of these court sessions had eventually lead tot he fact Madara was at least in some points more balanced nowadays.

Without Hidan’s „help“ Hashirama and Madara would have never met each other and it was undeniable that Hashirama slightly managed to control Madara’s impulsive way.

And still…

Itachi could have made a better choice.

But maybe his brother saw something in Hidan Sasuke couldn’t, maybe even Hidan had a soft side which made Itachi fall in love with him and didn’t mind being slobbered over by the bar’s guests.

 

_Never judge a book by its cover._

 

 

One of Itachi’s favorite sayings – Sasuke could recite his brother’s sayings in every possible situation and those sayings always came up to his mind uninvited.

 

He rose to clean the table – or he wanted to, because the dishes were already gone. At the stairs he just caught a glimpse of a white sock vanishing upstairs.

 

Deidara hadn’t spoken a single word with Sasuke for the entire evening and still he had cleansed the table, although nobody had asked him to do so…

 

Sasuke sat down on his chair again and pulled his arms around his knees.

His thoughts swirled in his head – he had never been so confused before.

Why was there never someone to help straightening this inner chaos?

And why…

Why was he yet somehow afraid to talk to someone about it?

Maybe he just needed to sleep and re-think on that matter…

 

 

His jaws opened to a huge yawn, but he didn’t move. What should he do at his „room“? He wouldn’t be able to sleep, no matter how tiered he was.

Why couldn’t you just turn your head off for a second, getting rid of all the thinking?

And still, funny enough, thinking made them human beings; _Cogito ergo sum_ – I think, therefore I am.

 

Right now, he couldn’t remember who had been saying that and he didn’t want to think about it anymore.

He was thinking way too much right now…

 

Sighing once more, he ran his fingers through his hair, stared at the cleaned table for a few seconds until the cold forced him to bed after all, although sleep wouldn’t come for several hours.


End file.
